The damage caused by various insects, and in particular, wood boring and eating inspects, such as termites, is extensive around the world, totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars. Various methods and devices have been used in the past in an attempt to alleviate or at least ameliorate the significant destruction caused by such insects. For example, so called “baits stations” have been utilized in an attempt to attract termites and thereby trap and/or destroy the termites that enter into such bait stations. Bait stations are available in a variety of shapes, sizes and structures, but principally rely upon the attractiveness of a cellulase product, such as paper or wood, to attract termite populations. It is believed that the termites are attracted to the cellulase wood product as a food source, however, prior art investigators have never conclusively determined what particular aspect of the cellulase product used in such bait stations actually is the attractive agent. Such cellulase products are typically treated with a toxin so that when the termites consume the treated cellulase products, such termites are incapacitated and/or killed. A significant problem in termite control, however, is the long period of time required for termites to discover the food baits.
There is presently a long felt but unsolved need for a method and device that is capable of attracting termites, and in particular, a method and device for attracting and incapacitating and/or killing boring insects such as termites, beetles, etc. in a fashion superior to prior art methods and devices.
Another aspect of the present invention involves the reduction of damage to crops, particularly corn crops, caused by the corn root worm. The damages caused by such insects is estimated to be over one billion dollars in the U.S. alone. Although pesticides have been used in the past to remedy such problems, they have been largely ineffective and have proven to cause environmental problems and to be fairly expensive. The present inventors were the first to discover that root worm larvae navigate to food sources by detecting carbon dioxide. There is therefore a long felt, but unsolved need for a method and formulation capable of attracting corn root worms to avoid the significant damage done by such insects every year.